wfn.org | Episcopalians: Dialogue between Episcopalians and Methodists showing promise

[dmack@episcopalchurch.org]

March 5, 2003

2003-049

Episcopalians: Dialogue between Episcopalians and Methodists 
showing promise

by James Solheim

(ENS) The second session of the official dialogue between the 
Episcopal Church and the United Methodist Church met February 
6-8 at St. Mary Seminary's Center for Continuing Education in 
Baltimore, Maryland. The dialogue was established by the 2000 
General Convention in response to a 1998 Lambeth Conference 
resolution endorsing regional Anglican-Methodist dialogues.

At the Baltimore meeting, participants heard presentations on 
the understanding of authority in the Episcopal Church by the 
Rev. Ephraim Radner and the Rev. Betty Gamble from the United 
Methodist Church. Dr. Thomas Ferguson, associate deputy for the 
Office of Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations, presented a paper 
on the ecclesiology of the Episcopal Church and the Anglican 
Communion, and the Rev. Russell Richey, dean of Candler School 
of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, spoke about the 
development of Methodist ecclesiology.

"It's important to see this dialogue as a response to the 
Lambeth Quadrilateral, the 1998 Lambeth Conference and the 
actions of our General Convention," said Bishop John Lipscomb of 
the Diocese of Southwest Florida, the Episcopal co-chair. He 
pointed out that "the United Methodist Church represents one of 
the largest Protestant denominations with historic connections 
to the Church of England. Therefore it seems appropriate that we 
pursue dialogue within the family that stemmed from that 
tradition."

Lipscomb also pointed to the dialogue between the Church of 
England and the British Methodists "where the goal is full 
organic union. Here in this country we are seeking a 
relationship of full communion--and the Called to Common Mission 
agreement with the Lutherans provides us with a framework in 
which to work." (See the web site at 
http://england.anglican.org/ccu/index.html).

A second major focus of the dialogue was an exploration of 
documents produced by the dialogue in the United Kingdom, as 
well as the report of the International Anglican-Methodist 
dialogue. The 1998 Lambeth Conference commended the report of 
the international dialogue, "Sharing in the Apostolic 
Communion," to member provinces for study. Participants looked 
at other previous agreements and convergences such as the Porvoo 
Common Statement between the Nordic Lutherans and the Anglican 
Churches of the UK and Ireland, and the landmark WCC document on 
Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry.

"After two sessions we are all feeling very positive about our 
conversations," said Lipscomb. "Of course we still have hard 
work to do, dealing with issues such as the historic episcopate, 
but we don't think those issues are insurmountable."

The next meeting of the dialogue will in the summer of 2003. A 
planning committee consisting of the two co-chairs, Lipscomb and 
Methodist Bishop William Oden, along with staff from the 
ecumenical offices of the two churches, will meet in New York in 
March of 2003 to prepare a vision statement for the continuing 
dialogue.

In addition to Oden, the Methodist team included the Rev. Trey 
Hall of Illinois; the Rev. Lucia Guzman of Colorado; the Rev. 
Diedre Kriewald of Washington, DC; the Rev. Erica Jenkins of 
Louisiana, and the Rev. Bruce Robbins, who served as staff.

Episcopal team members in addition to Lipscomb included the Rev. 
David Bird of Washington; the Rev. Lois Boxill of Pennsylvania; 
the Rev. Theodora Brooks of New York; the Rev. Bruce Mullin of 
New York; Patricia Page of North Carolina; and the Rev. Ephraim 
Radner of Colorado.

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--James Solheim is director of Episcopal News Service.